Now the divine Teacher proceeds to uncover another well to this woman. “Whosoever,” Jesus proceeded to say, and the whosoever included all Samaritans and the world as well, “drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; for the Holy Spirit that I shall put in him shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life—it shall satisfy his thirst and he shall be continually refreshed.”
How deftly Jesus turned this conversation into a spiritual channel! It was done so easily that the woman was not conscious of the change. She thought he was talking about literal water, though the seriousness in his tones had awakened her utmost attention. She knew what it was to thirst, and the labor of coming to the well to carry away pitchers full on her head, only to repeat the labor with each returning day. He had awakened in her a desire, though that desire was no higher than water, and she said, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” Though the woman did not understand His words, she was really, in her mind, struggling with the great problem of not thirsting any more, and of doing away with the necessity of daily coming to Jacob’s well. How the Lord delights to lead inquiring minds to the higher things of life! He saw, doubtless, by supernatural intuition, the sinful blemishes in her life, as well as the deeper aspirations of her soul which His words had awakened. How shall He get at the plague-spot which corrupted the fountain of her life?
In a tender, pathetic tone he said to the woman, “Go, call thy husband!” It was a painful request to make of this poor woman, but He could not trifle. He must be faithful. The request had its desired effect. It drew off the woman’s attention from her desire for fountains of water, to see the wretched condition of her life.
Yet, with a frankness that showed an honest soul, she replied, “I have no husband!”
Ah! that was the point this wisest of Teachers was bringing her to. He did not want to see her husband, but He wanted her to see herself. His words probed to the plague-spot in her soul. She admitted her guilt, but could not quite bring her will to give up her manner of life.
When Jesus told her that she was living with the fifth man, and he not her husband, she perceived that He was a prophet, and was ready with another batch of theological questions. “I know I am not what I ought to be,” she said in effect, “but then there are some things I don’t understand, and now, since you are a prophet, perhaps you can inform me. We Samaritans claim that our way is right, and you Jews claim that your way is right. Both can’t be right; tell us what we are to do?” Referring to her Samaritan ancestors, she continued, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain,” pointing to Mt. Gerizim, under the shadow of which they almost stood, and which had a special sacredness as the mount of blessing. It was also claimed by the Samaritans that their worship was earlier, and, therefore, older than that at Jerusalem. However, it is not clear that she meant to urge this as one of the reasons in favor of Mt. Gerizim, on the summit of which the Samaritan Temple stood. In the Scriptures which the Samaritans possessed (the Pentateuch) the name of Gerizim had been inserted in the place of the holy city of the Jews. On the other hand, the claim of the Jews was exclusive. Men must worship in Jerusalem. If the woman regarded the supremacy of Gerizim or Jerusalem an open question, it showed her candor and a willingness to accept the revelation of the truth, whatever it might be.
But see how our Lord sweeps the idol of locality from this inquirer’s mind, “Believe me,” he said, “the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.” Men have ever looked upon their places of worship as sacred. Islamism has its Mecca, the heathenism of India its Baneras and Ganges, the idolaters of China their sacred mountains, the apostates of modern times their holy shrines. Jesus abolishes local limitations, and announces that what one worships is of more importance than where; that God is a Spirit, and that true worship is unlimited by time, place or form.
THE NOONTIDE HOUR AT JACOB’S WELL.
Such wonderful words had never fallen upon the ears or entered the heart of this woman. No priest or scribe had ever uttered such sublime conceptions of our relations to God. She had thought him a “prophet,” but such utterances are almost divine. She thinks of the Messiah, and answers, “I know that when Messias cometh, which is called Christ; when He is come, He will tell us all things.” This was in accordance with the Samaritan view of Christ. While showing a desire for a fuller knowledge she thinks of a higher authority of the expected Messiah. In this He did not rebuke her. He lets her question, yet is never turned from His purpose. Step by step His love lifted this inquiring mind, until at last she was ready for such an avowal of His nature and office as He had never given to Scribe or Pharisee or disciple, “I that speak unto thee am He!”